Nintendo taps Initiative as media agency in the U.S.

The marketer kicked off a media review last year

Nintendo is about to switch up its media agency. The marketer has selected Interpublic Group of Cos.-owned Initiative as its new shop in the U.S. after a review, according to people familiar with the matter.

Publicis Media's Blue 449 is the incumbent on the account. The agency referred comment to the client.

Responding to a request for comment Monday, Nintendo said via email, "We have nothing to announce on this topic." Initiative also declined to comment.

Japan-headquartered Nintendo staged a comeback in 2017 with the release of its Switch, a crossover between a home-gaming console and portable gaming device, which retails for $299.99. But in January 2019, the marketer cut its outlook for annual Switch shipments — suggesting the console was struggling to attract a wider user base, Bloomberg reported earlier this year.

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Megan Graham

Megan Graham is an agency reporter at Ad Age. Prior to joining Ad Age in 2017, she covered technology and startups for the Chicago Tribune’s Blue Sky Innovation section. Earlier in her career, she covered business and breaking news at the Chicago Sun-Times. Originally from Chicago, she earned her B.A. in news-editorial journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.